Kenya is steadily advancing in the implementation of the six tools and the regional initiatives responsible for combating the illegal exploitation of natural resources.
Mining Principal Secretary (PS) Harry Kimtai said that the six tools include Regional Certification Mechanism, Harmonization of National Legislations, Regional Database on Mineral Flows, Formalization of Artisanal Mining Sector, Extractive Initiative Transparency Initiative, and Whistleblowing Mechanism.
Speaking during the convening of the secretariat of the International Conference on the Great Lakes Region (ICGLR), Kimtai said that Kenya has made significant strides in strengthening its legal and regulatory framework and has commenced the targeted efforts to formalize the artisanal and small-scale mining sector.
“Illegal exploitation of natural resources has long been recognized as a major factor fueling conflicts, undermining governance, and impeding economic growth across the region,” said Kimtai.
According to the PS, the six tools against the illegal exploitation of natural resources provide a comprehensive framework for addressing these challenges.
“As a region our commitment must be to fully operationalize the six tools and ensure their integrity and strengthen their impact,” said the PS.
He continued: “As a country, we are actively aligning ourselves with the standards and remain firmly committed to developing robust systems for monitoring and tracing mineral flows across the value chain.”
The PS said that Kenya is keen to take immediate steps towards initiating the implementation of the regional certification mechanism which is a cornerstone among the six tools and a critical measure to strengthen transparency, traceability and accountability in the country’s mineral sector.
“In this regard we shall be seeking technical support from the ICGLR secretariat whenever necessary to ensure the effective and timely rollout of these initiatives,” said Kimtai.
ICGLR Executive Secretary Amb. Joao Samuel Caholo said that one of the root causes of cyclic conflict in the Great Lakes Region is the access to land and resources.
“Heads of states from the Great Lakes Region in their own wisdom met in 2010 in an extraordinary summit in Lusaka and declared the regional initiative and the protocol to address the challenges associated with the access to minerals,” said Caholo.
He said that of the six tools against the illegal exploitation of natural resources, so far the regional certification mechanism has been implemented.
“So far only five member states that is the DRC, Burundi, Rwanda, Uganda and Tanzania have implemented the regional certification mechanism and as the secretariat we are impressing on critical member states like the Central African Republic, the Republic of Congo, South Sudan and Zambia to come on board and if they do so probably by next year, we will have nine member states because the rest it is work in progress,” said Amb Caholo.
He stressed on the importance of creating a mineral database and to allow for traceability and transparent management which enables them to know which mineral is being mined where.
“We have revamped the minerals database program and it is up and going,” he said, adding that so far of the six tools, the above two are being implemented with modest satisfaction among the member states.
According to Amb. Caholo, as a secretariat they have taken deliberate efforts to promote the formalization of artisanal small-scale miners in the Great Lakes Region.
By Joseph Ng’ang’a
